This stanza, which is reminiscent of a famous Upanishadic declaration, while glorifying the goal, is promising that Krishna will, in the following verses, explain the Supreme destination of Perfection and the means of achieving it.

Worship (Upasana) of the syllable OM is frequently advised in almost all the Upanishads as a sure method of making the final adjustments in the mind-intellect-equipment of the meditator, so that complete success in meditation may be assured to him. From the Pauranic era onwards, meditation with faith and devotion, regularly, upon any of the recognised incarnations, has also been found to serve the same purpose with the same efficiency.

Here, very many necessary precautions and warnings are given to the seeker, so that his spiritual pilgrimage may be comparatively easy and pleasant. The obstacles about which meditators generally complain arise from their own lack of self-withdrawal from the finite matter-envelopments. It is necessary that, as a Science of Self Perfection, Vedanta should not only give the techniques of meditation, but also indicate for the seekers the possible pit-falls on the path and equip them, sufficiently early, with all instructions as to how they can get out, in case they fall into any of these jamming ruts. This verse indicates how one can be assured of an easy path while moving ahead on the track of meditation — carefully avoiding all extrovert desires that cater to one’s sensuous appetites, and by practising severe and consistent self-control.

In the opening of this chapter, (stanza-3) the Supreme was defined as the Imperishable. Quoting Himself, Krishna emphasises here that the very same Imperishable Truth can be realised — they come to “enter into the Imperishable” — when they, the men of self-control, who are unagitated by desires, withdraw successfully from the changeable and the perishable in themselves.

FREED FROM ATTACHMENT (Veeta-ragah) — The entire Geeta is a Song of renunciation; not a dull-witted and un-creative renunciation, but a healthy detachment through right knowledge, which is the harbinger of all progress and development everywhere. The renunciation of desires is not a psychological suppression of the existing appetites, but that which takes place as a result of a natural blossoming of the intellect. The newly opened buds, after a time, renounce their soft, beautiful skirts and stand naked, expressing a renunciation of the gorgeous; but in nature, this happens only when the flowers are pollinated and the fruits are well in the making. The shedding of the petals may be a sacrifice or renunciation from the standpoint of a casual flower-gazer, but to the farmer who knows, it is a sacrifice or renunciation of the flowers in their newly gained maturity that has automatically made the beautiful petals fall off.

Similarly, in the Spiritual Science of India, no doubt, there is an emphasis on the necessity of renunciation, but it is not a sad and melancholy self-denial or self-punishment, which some other religions do preach and practise. A renunciation that has sprung up from the fertile lands of efficient discrimination is that which is insisted upon by the intellectual giants of the Upanishads. The term “ONE FREED FROM ATTACHMENT” is therefore, to be understood as one who has grown out of his passionate attachments to the finite, that constitute the insignificant parade of the world, in his more mature and steady understanding of the nature and the goal of his life.

Also, it is true that the more the number of desires entertained, the greater is the mental tossing, and the consequent agitation. The greater the disturbance in the mind, the lesser is the mental potentiality expressed. A meditator’s success depends upon his mental dynamism, and the only wealth that can ease the rigours of the journey is his own mental equipoise and inward peace. Therefore, as a policy, it is advised that men of least desire have the maximum chance for the greatest success in the Path of Knowledge.

IN ORDER TO INDICATE WHAT THE EARLY STAGES OF ‘UPASANA’ AND THEIR RESULTS ARE, THE FOLLOWING IS ADDED:

Pravaksye, I shall speak; te, to you; samgrahena, briefly; tat, of that; which is called the aksaram, immutable-that whch does not get exhausted, which is indestructible; padam, Goal to be reached; yat, which; veda-vidah, the knowers of the Vedas, the knowers of the purport of the Vedas; vedanti, declare, speak of It as opposed to all qualifications-‘It is neither gross nor minute’ (Br. 3.8.8) etc.-, in accordance with the Upanisadic text, ‘O Gargi, the knowers of Brahman say this Immutable (Brahman) is that’ (ibid); and further, yat, into which, after the attainment of complete realization; visanti, enter; yatayah, the diligent ones, the monks; who have become vita-ragah, free from attachment; and icchantah, aspiring to know (-to know being supplied to complete the sense-); yat, which Immutable; people caranti, practise; brahmacaryam, celibacy-at the teacher’s house. Commencing with, ‘”O venerable sir, which world does he really win thereby who, among men, intently meditates on Om in that wonerful way till death?” To him he said, “O Satyakama, this very Brahman that is (known as) the inferior and superior is but this Om”‘ (pr.5.1-2), it has been stated, ‘Again, anyone who meditates on the supreme Purusa with the help of this very syllable Om, as possessed of three letters,…he is lifted up to the world of Brahma (Hiranyagarbha) by the Sama-mantras,’ (op.cit.5) etc. Again, beginning with ‘(Tell me of that thing which you see as) different from virtue, different from vice,’ it has been stated, ‘I tell you briefly of that goal which all the Vedas with one voice propound, which all the austerities speak of, and wishing for which people practise Brahmacarya: it is this, viz Om’ (Ka.1.2.14-15), etc. In the above quotations, Om which is going to be spoken of is presented as a name of this supreme Brahman, and also as Its symbol like an image. This has been done as a means to meditation on it (Om) for the attainment of the supreme Brahman by poeple of low and mediocre intellect, in as much as this leads to Liberation in course of time. Here also that very meditation on Om in the manner stated above-which is the means of attaining the supreme Brahman introduced in, ‘(He who meditates on) the Omniscient, the Ancient,’ and in, ‘(I shall speak to you birefly of that immutable Goal) which the knowers of the Vedas declare,’ and which (meditation) leads to Liberation in due course [Realization of Brahman leads to immediate Liberation (sadyomukti, whereas meditation (contemplation, upasana) leads to gradual Liberation (krama-mukti).-Tr.]-has to be spoken of along with ‘adherence to yoga’ as also whatever is connected directly or indirectly with it. For this purpose the following text is begun: